


A Monster in the Woods

by Trogan



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reverse Falls, Fae!Will
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-25
Updated: 2018-06-16
Packaged: 2019-05-13 14:17:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 7,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14750462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Trogan/pseuds/Trogan
Summary: When the Gleeful twins go into the woods to make a deal with an entity older than the town itself, a deadly being known as Will Cipher, they find the quiet demon more than willing to do anything asked of him. Until it's too late to realize that the stories were wrong and that they're dealing with something far deadlier than they expected.





	1. The Demon's Shrine

**Author's Note:**

> A new story idea I randomly had, hopefully I'll have the motivation to finish it. The first few chapters will probably be short, but they'll get longer as the story progresses.

In the forest, there was a shrine. People had left offerings there for centuries to ward away bad luck and earn the favor of the creature who tended to it. Anything from food to jewels had been left there over the years, but the gifts would always disappear by the next morning. It had come to less and less use as time went on, but, in times where good luck was direly needed, those who believed in the old stories would go to the woods and leave a gift.  
The shrine itself was nothing special, just an old stone statue of a tall man that was overgrown with vines and bushes. A metal pedestal was just in front of the statue, untouched by time. No rust soiled its perfection, no plants so much as touched it.  
Despite the overgrown and chaotic state of the rest of the area, the path to the shrine was clear of foliage. Large, smooth rocks served as guides to highlight the path further. It was down this path that two unfortunate spirits wandered. A young boy and girl.


	2. Eyes in the Woods

When it came to him, the forest held no secrets. Will had lived there for thousands of years by this point. So, when the wind whispered to him that there were two visitors to his shrine, he believed it, despite the fact that there had been no visitors for nearly a year.  
He, however, was in no hurry to be seen. Every time he had been seen in recent days, he had been questioned relentlessly. It was not in Will’s nature to like questions. He was fine enough at answering them, but there were people who saw through his tricks every once and a while. Often enough to ruin any fun he would get from the questions.  
_‘They’ve brought you gifts, Will. Someone remembers… they remember you, Will.’ _The whispering of the wind snapped him out of his thoughts.  
He tiredly dismissed the wind’s comments with a wave of the hand, slowly rising to his feet. There was no reason to get his hopes up. Yet... there were visitors at his shrine. With gifts. How rare. He could sense that they were still at the shrine. If they had just come to bring an offering, they would have gone by now. They were either fools or waiting for him. It was time to see which.__


	3. A Mistake

The twins weren’t surprised when the demon appeared before them. They had rather been expecting it. It had even taken longer than they had thought it would. The demon was tall and thin, with a solemn, almost crestfallen appearance. Like someone who had lost enough in life that they stopped expecting anything to bring them joy. The well dressed figure looked down on them with a single, luminescent blue eye, the color matching his hair.  
The eye gazed around, taking in its surroundings, eventually stopping on the summoning circle beneath it. The demon fixed its gaze on the twins.  
“What is the meaning of this…?” he asked softly, clasping his hands behind him.  
“We seek to make a deal, demon,” Mabel said, stepping forward and drawing the demon’s attention. The stare of the demon, though not aggressive, on his sister would have bothered Mason more if he didn’t know just how capable she was with the knife she had hidden in her boot.  
“Demon?” the figure raised an eyebrow.  
“Don’t play games with us, creature,” Mason said, moving to stand next to his sister. “There are stories of you, back from the beginnings of this sad town. That you decide who succeeds and who fails. That the most powerful people to ever come here have all knelt before your shrine and offered up gifts for your blessing.”  
The demon’s face sunk further, seeming to betray a flash of misery. “That doesn’t make what I am your business… look, my deal making days are over. I love you mortals and all, but can’t you understand I want to enjoy the world around us? There’s so much to see and deals leave little time to see it.”  
“We want a deal, demon,” Mabel said again.  
The creature sighed, adjusting his hands. “What terms?”  
Mabel stopped and looked at her brother. Mason took out a sheet of paper from his pocket, the details of the deal they were to make written on it.  
He held out the folded paper toward the demon. The demon looked it over, chewing nervously on one of his gloved hands. His teeth looked unnaturally sharp from this angle.  
The twins exchanged glances as the demon reviewed the contract. If the monster saw through the bluff, they were in danger. Mason prepared himself to retrieve the cards he had hidden up his sleeve. This wouldn’t be his first time cutting someone with a well aimed throw.  
The demon straightened up, looking slightly hopeful. “I have a few more terms I want to add. I’ll get the book from the…” He looked at the paper again. “... Pines family, like you asked, and you set me up with a feast. It’s been so long since I’ve tasted fresh blood…” His eye unfocused, dreamy.  
“And the rest of the deal remains the same?” Mabel asked.  
“With the other little tasks and the nice, shiny reward? Sure,” the demon seemed enthusiastic and stuck out his hand.  
Mabel grinned. Mason shook the demon’s hand. Strange. He had expected to feel something. “I’ll take the contract back. What’s your name, demon?”  
“You can call me William,” the demon said, handing the paper back with a hopeful smile. “I have to say, I’m very excited to start working with you. I haven’t met many people as nice as you are…”  
Mason gave his sister a small smile as they headed back down the path home. She seemed equally proud of their work. Will gave them each a nervous smile, blissfully unaware of the hidden meaning behind the twins’ grins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small edits made to Will's dialogue to be more fitting to his character


	4. Gleeful Manor

Will followed the twins down the path, just a few steps behind them. The children were something else, he knew that much. They were too confident, too cold. He would be convinced that they weren’t living, but he had heard their heartbeats. They were real.  
They were both well dressed, with icy blue eyes. Their expressions seemed to mostly remain neutral, with the exception of troublesome smirks or fake smiles. That was probably the most unnerving part. Will had been around humans for well over a thousand years and he had learned about them. Even come to understand them. And he knew humans were supposed to feel, to express their feelings vividly. That was one of their main appeals. Such a change from the indifferent mask-like faces of his fellow fae.  
Will lifted a gloved hand to his mouth, hiding his small smile. That had been the twins’ mistake. They thought he was a demon and a fool. He had seen the small print on the paper. He knew what they were going to do. More importantly, he knew it wouldn’t work. Will knew he wasn’t exactly the most capable or toughest fae, but he knew an opportunity when he saw one.  
Get a book, help with the children’s next performance, heal an injury or two, get his reward… it would be easy. At least, he hoped it would be. The small print… well, he hadn’t agreed to a price on that. Service until the children’s death. That wasn’t one of the small tasks he had agreed to. No, he would pick his own reward for that. Of course, he wouldn’t actually serve until death, but they didn’t need to know that.  
They didn’t need to know anything more than he told them…  
“William!” the boy’s voice drew his attention away from his planning, to his slight annoyance. Just looking at the boy was enough to replace the annoyance with an unsettled feeling.  
Will shivered slightly, giving the boy a nervous smile. “Do you need something?”  
“Just your attention,” he said shortly. He gestured grandly, with a flourish picked up only through years of performing. “Welcome to Gleeful Manor.”  
Will’s focus shifted to the huge building behind the boy. It was as extravagant as he would expect from the well dressed duo. They clearly had more money than anyone their age had business possessing, but it brought Will a small smile. It would be his, eventually.  
The manor itself was large and imposing, kept in an impeccable state of cleanliness. In the garden out front, not a leaf or blade of grass was out of place. The groundskeeper was clearly a talented individual. Will got the feeling he would be at home among the plants here.  
“This is… this place is wonderful. Would you mind if I looked around?” he asked, gently rubbing his gloved thumb over a leaf from a nearby vine. He could feel it was healthy and strong, still growing under the guidance of its keeper.  
“Perhaps later, demon,” the girl said, turning to briskly walk to the main door, her brother at her side.  
Will sighed, releasing the leaf, and followed a few steps behind them. Inside was a grand main hall, lined with potted blue roses. Will got the general idea that blue was the family’s color. It was clear the groundskeeper did not do work inside, from the state of the flowers. Will knelt next to one of the pots, whispering complements to the flowers as he gave it a small jolt of magic. The roses closest to him immediately regained some of their life, vibrant colors returning.  
The boy fixed him with a look. “You’re strange, for a demon.”  
Will felt his cold heart stop for a moment. He shouldn’t have done that. He swallowed the lump in his throat.  
“How many demons have you met, to make that judgement?” he asked, a slight tremor in his voice. Damn that boy and his unnerving stare.  
The boy crossed his arms, looking off to the side with a huff. The sister gave a silent smile, seeming to take some joy in her brother’s annoyance.  
“I don’t believe you’ve told me your names,” Will said, after a moment of quiet.  
“Mabel and Mason Gleeful,” the girl said. Her eyes shone brighter as she said that, clearly proud of the family name. Still, the emotion was fleeting. The children reminded Will of fae, but they were clearly human.  
He gave a quick bow, not quite sure what else to do. He was working for them, after all. For now, at least.  
“Should I go retrieve the book you requested?” Will asked, straightening back up and fidgeting with his coat.  
“Not yet,” Mason said. “You need to know what you’re looking for, first. This isn’t any book.”  
“What’s so important about this book?”  
“You don’t need to know, demon,” Mabel snapped.  
Will blinked in surprise, startled by the sudden hostility. “Sorry… I was just curious…”  
“Don’t be,” she said, staring him down.  
“The book isn’t so much a book as it is a journal,” Mason said, interrupting the tense situation. “Our great uncle wrote it. Needless to say, we want it back.”  
“The Pines stole it?” Will asked quietly. He was hesitant to get snapped at again, but the information struck him as important.  
“Obviously.”  
“Show me what I’m looking for and I’ll talk to whoever has it,” Will said, standing tall.  
“Talk?” Mason didn’t seem quite able to understand the simple concept. Will glanced at Mabel. It seemed she didn’t either.  
Will was silent, unsure of what to say, before softly saying, “Yes, I don’t think that-”  
Mabel grabbed him by the front of his suit jacket, pulling him down. Will stood awkwardly, back bent uncomfortably. Mabel stared him right in the eye, her own burning with fury.  
“Don’t think, demon. Gideon stole something precious from us. I don’t want you to talk with him. I don’t want you to kill him. I want you to make him suffer a pain beyond death, for daring to steal from Mason and I!”  
Will tried to pull back, but Mabel’s grip was unfaltering. It would be impossible to back away without moving the girl, and Will was certain that would only result in sparking up further anger.  
“Do you understand, William?” Mason asked. Will’s eye never left Mabel’s hate filled ones, but he nodded.  
“Good,” Mason said. Will stumbled back a few steps as Mabel released him. He was getting a worse feeling about these two as time went on. They reminded him far too much of fae. Even worse, angry fae.


	5. The Book

The twins watched as Will reached a shaking hand up to his bow tie, straightening it. He was well aware of their strange stares. They were suspicious of him, he knew it. He adjusted his hat and brushed his hair out of his face, gently running his fingers over his eyepatch.  
He knew he looked shaken, but he had to fix it as soon as possible. The twins had simply caught him by surprise. Will had underestimated them and their will to control. He hadn’t expected any human to so much as dare to talk to an immortal being like that, be it fae or demon. Next time, he would be prepared. He would act like a demon, yes, but he would not allow himself to be controlled so easily. Or so he hoped.  
“William.” Mason’s voice gave him something else to focus on.  
“Yes?”  
“This journal you’re looking for. It has a red cover and a golden handprint on it. The hand has six fingers and there’s a two written on the front. Do you understand?” Mason asked, taking a step closer to him.  
Will stood his ground, despite the sudden pounding of his heart and nausea building in his stomach. Fae weren’t supposed to show those feelings. They were stronger than mere feelings.  
“I understand perfectly,” Will said, focusing on keeping his tone calm.  
“Then go!”  
He nodded and left, trying to recall how demons acted. He wasn't quite sure. It had been so long since Will had seen a proper demon. His only source of comfort was that the children had never met a demon either.


	6. Silent Halls

The demon left in a hurry, eager to be on his way. He seemed unfamiliar with being commanded. She had had trouble believing it at first, but now Mabel could see why there were no records of prior deals with the demon. Will hardly seemed like someone worth writing about.  
After the demon was gone, Mason turned to face her. “You should hope that our new servant doesn't take your orders too literally.”  
Mabel crossed her arms. “And why is that, brother?”  
“You know as well as I that you can be… passionate,” Mason paused for a moment. “You may wish pain upon the Pines boy now, but I'm well aware of your infatuation with him. You'll only be upset later if he's maimed or killed now.”  
Mabel snarled. “That was then. He's gone too far this time.”  
“And he won't make it this far again. I don't want to see you upset,” Mason said, taking her hand. “It’s too early to make mistakes like this.”  
“Then let’s hope the creature is as soft as you,” Mabel said, eyes still blazing.  
“Don’t think I don’t want the boy dead, sister. I simply care for you more than I hate him. Really, I find him below my notice.”  
“Why does he keep running from me? I’ve graced him with my affections. Me, one of the most powerful people in this town, and he rejects every attempt to win him over…” Mabel sighed. “He may have caught my eye, but I do question his intelligence.”  
Mason gave a low chuckle. “You really should question more than that.”  
He was unbothered by the glare he earned from Mabel, as he was one of the few people who could really ignore her bloodchilling looks. She huffed, crossing her arms.  
“What about great uncle Stanford?” she asked. “He wouldn’t approve of Gideon and I. Besides, he would hate us showing weakness to our enemies like this…”  
“Great uncle Ford will just be happy we got his journal back from that thieving little rat.”  
“Watch it, brother. Just because I hate him, it doesn’t mean I’ll let you insult my little Gideon.”  
“Oh, he's yours now, is he?” Mason asked with an entertained look.  
“Stop twisting my words like that!” Mabel shrieked.  
A door slammed from down the hall. The twins froze. Great uncle Stanford must have had the door to his office open. He hated hearing them fight.  
The reminder of their great uncle was enough to set both of the kids off of arguing. They never wanted to disappoint or anger him. Mabel even more so. She knew he always favored Mason in any disagreements. She suspected it was because of his birthmark, something that set the boy out of the crowd. Mabel had nothing like that. She was… average. Disappointing, to someone who obsessed over the unusual, from his own six fingers to Mason's birthmark to the strange magic running through the town.  
Mabel huffed, turned her back on her brother, and walk down the hall to her room. She had enough of him for one day.  
She felt his gaze on her back, watching her go. He knew as well as she did that as soon as great uncle Stanford joined the argument, he has won. He didn't have to be so smug about it.


	7. A Family in Reverse

Will wasn’t sure what sort of powers a demon would have to make this work easier, but he would have been grateful for them. At least it gave him a reason to go back into the forest, to refocus himself. They were just kids. Arrogant, spoiled, creepy kids, but still kids. Harmless. He shouldn’t have to listen to them. Sure, he had been banned from his previous court for being too soft hearted, but even he could outshine some kids in power and cruelty.  
The children, despite their humanity, were like fae. Far too much like fae. Their family was their court. The boy, Mason, was the king. Quiet, always watching, but commanding and more dangerous than anyone else when it came to it. Mabel, the knight, wild, unpredictable, and destructive, a force to fear. And Will? Well, he was their huntsman.  
Will had never been a huntsman before. Huntsmen were supposed to be silent, tough, and obedient. Ready to destroy any enemy of their court. In this case, it was this… Gideon Pines. But he had to do the job right. It wasn’t fitting of a fae to just destroy. They couldn’t be revealed for what they were. The killing had to look like an accident. Unless he could get away without killing… the girl wouldn’t be happy, but it would save them from trouble later. Real courts would interfere if the fae killed anyone.  
He crept through the forest, steps silent and eyes scanning the area. His slightly pointed ears twitched. He could smell someone in the forest, but the wind refused to tell him who. The wind was a gentle being. It didn’t understand that there were times he couldn’t just rest and watch it play in the leaves and grass. He wished he could, but the thrumming power of the favors the children would owe him after this was too tempting.  
They seemed like good kids, if misguided and creepy. He wished he didn't have to take this all from them, but… they had come to him. It was their greed. It was their fault. He had to believe that. All fae did.  
He shook his head, almost not realizing as he stumbled out of the forest. He recovered his footing from the rock that had nearly sent him sprawling. Something really was wrong with him. That forest had been his home for almost as long as he could remember. No rock would try to trip him up. He was a part of the forest… or… maybe not anymore. He sighed.  
Courts were supposed to be primal, part of some ancient instinct. Being part of a court was more natural to a fae than trickery was, and that was saying something, but now… they held a disconnect from nature. There were no wild courts anymore. They were all in cities, thrumming with artificial magic instead of natural. For a fae as old as Will, as tied to the land as Will, it was difficult to give up.  
He didn’t notice the boy staring at him as he looked down at the rock, trying to stop tears.  
“Umm… can I help you?” the boy asked. Will snapped out of his trance, pushing his mourning for the loss of connection with the rock to the back of his mind.  
“Yes,” Will said, hating the tremor in his voice. His old court had made fun of it. Fae were supposed to be unreadable. They fell to silence for a moment before Will remembered it was still his turn to talk. “Do you know a Gideon Pines?”  
“That’s me, sir,” the boy said, prompting another look from the fae. He was short and round, with kind eyes and white hair. Will could see himself enjoying the boy’s company, in a different circumstance.  
“A pleasure, young man,” Will said, standing tall. “My… you can call me Will.” Damn it all, he was off his game today. He had almost had a slip of the tongue.  
“Why did you need me?” Gideon seemed warry.  
Will paused for a moment. He had never agreed to a time limit for his feast. He could take this slowly. “It’s nothing urgent… why don’t we find somewhere to sit down and talk? I… I wouldn’t mind talking…”  
Gideon seemed almost taken aback at the tiredness that had slowly crept into Will’s voice. Will knew it wasn’t wise to show that kind of weakness, but hiding it was tiring. “I don’t trust you…”  
Will sighed. “You wouldn’t be wrong for feeling that way… but I don’t want to harm you…”  
The boy backed up further. “Something’s… weird about you… it’s not right… not natural…”  
“It’s natural, just not human,” Will softly assured.  
“What are you?”  
“I can’t tell you that.”  
“Why not?” Gideon demanded, seeming a bit more confident. Will softly smiled. He was dispelling the fear, little by little.  
“It would put my life in danger,” Will said, sitting in the grass. “I’m not supposed to.”  
Gideon slowly sat down across from him, still watching with careful eyes. With a small wave of his hand, Will made a small table of vines grow in front of them. Berries grew and ripened before their eyes. Will gave a small smile as they boy’s eyes shone with wonder. Fae magic was something to behold.  
“Have some,” Will said softly. “They’re not poisonous.”  
“I’m not hungry…” Gideon replied, still careful. Will had to force himself not to show disappointment. It was nothing personal, but the boy’s debt would have made this far easier.  
“Of course…” Will gave a wave of his hand and the berries rotten and dried before falling to dust. “Do you have any questions before we start?”  
The boy was quiet for a minute, to the point where Will was about to speak up again, but his voice broke the silence. “Who are you, really?”  
Will blinked, trying not to reveal his surprise at the question. “I am known as Will. I am a creature of the wilds. Many would call me a demon.”  
This put the boy’s guard up further. He scooted back. “Why were you looking for me?”  
“The Gleeful children-” Will wasn’t able to get any further in the sentence. The boy was on his feet and looked ready to bolt. “Gideon…”  
“Stay back! Anyone who works for them is evil!”  
“You can trust me…” Will slowly stood, hands held out in a peaceful gesture. “They came to me with a deal… but I have no intention of fulfilling it. I just wish to talk… and for your help in taking them down.”  
“How do I know that you’re telling the truth?” Gideon asked, eyes still untrusting. A smart question.  
“I can’t lie,” Will said. “There’s not many ways to prove it, but… whatever I have to do to earn your trust, I will.”  
“Anything?”  
Will suddenly felt nervous. “W… within reason… of course…”  
“Well… I could use some help…” The boy hadn’t lost his nervous demeanor, but it was clear he was planning something.  
“What is it?” Will asked, now more confident that he could get out of any situation he didn’t want to be in.  
The boy offered him a hand. “It will be easier if I show you.”  
Will took it.


	8. Sibling Bonding

“What’s taking the demon so long?” Mabel asked, impatient.  
Mason flipped a page in his book, eyes only flicking to look at his sister for a second. “Give William time. We can punish any failures later. For now… it’s important that we test his abilities.”  
Mabel gave him a tired look. “We don’t have time, brother. We promised great uncle Stanford a gift. That demon is taking too much time and we’re going to disappoint him.”  
“Hush now, Mabel…” She had earned his full attention this time. “Great uncle Stanford is a good man. He will know it’s the demon, not us, who is disappointing. We’re his family. He cares for us.”  
“For you…” Mabel growled quietly, sitting on the couch across from him. Mason had long known of her jealousy over his bond with their great uncle, but she had grown increasingly bitter over the past few months. He hated the feeling of them drifting apart again, but he wouldn’t risk his time with his mentor just to make his sister feel better. She would have to be satisfied with what she had.  
“Here,” Mason said, holding out his book. “Quiz me.”  
Mabel looked at it for a moment before taking it. She was never much of an academic, but she loved to be involved in anything going on. She would never turn down an offer like that, and Mason knew that it was one of the easiest ways to cheer her up, just for a while.  
“This is really basic information, brother,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Are you sure you need me for this?”  
“Very, Mabel. It’s always important to know the basics,” Mason replied, knowing the information full well. He would review for as long as needed to cheer her up.  
“Alright,” Mabel studied the diagram on the page, trying to find something to stump him.  
Mason grinned. “Whenever you’re ready.”


	9. A New Deal

Will watched the boy gather bits and pieces from around his room.  
` “What is all this for?” he asked as Gideon deposited another part of some unknown collection onto the bed.  
Gideon searched through his dresser. “It’s my cousin’s birthday soon. I’ve been trying to make her a gift, but I can’t get the house to myself long enough to put it together. Besides, my uncle Preston doesn’t want me to use anything sharp without supervision and he tells her everything.”  
“Why is it scattered everywhere, if you wanted to put it together?” Will asked, watching over the boy’s shoulder.  
“So she won’t suspect anything,” Gideon explained. “She’s clever and likes to snoop. I couldn’t keep it hidden all in one place.”  
Will slowly nodded. “And what’s my job here?” Will had a good idea, but it was best to let the boy ask him.  
“I need you to put all the pieces together for me,” he explained, lifting the final piece out of the drawer. “Let me show you what you need to do, then you can finish the job. Once you do that… you can come with me to give it to her this weekend, at her party. Since you helped and all…”  
“That sounds wonderful,” Will agreed, following along as the boy started to put all the parts in their places.  
Gideon was the type of person he had left his court for. Young, innocent, and kind, but aware enough to use caution and really mean the good they did in the world. Good meant nothing unless evil had been an option. It meant nothing unless there had been a choice. Something about seeing true good in the world warmed his unfeeling fae heart. Well, his heart was supposed to be unfeeling, at least.  
“What is it?” Will asked, looking over the strange amalgamation of cloth. There were patches, in the shapes of rainbows, flowers, animals, and smiling faces. Decorations for the side of the bag. It was a well thought out gift.  
“It was supposed to be a bed for Clucks, her pet chicken, but I turned it into a bag,” Gideon explained. “So she can carry Clucks and all her stuff.”  
Will looked down. He knew he would be getting a bloody feast for doing this. He knew he needed blood. There was a reason fae had sharp teeth, after all, but he could never hunt himself. Something about the betrayed look in the animal’s eyes after his magic disappeared, the calm turned to pain, always stopped him from making the killing blow. The feeling of a loss that wasn’t his.  
“Will you do it?” Gideon looked up at him, soft cloth in his hands.  
As he looked down into the boy’s gentle eyes, Will realized that he couldn’t make the kill. He couldn’t betray this boy. This kind, careful boy. He could take this loss for the child. He would sacrifice his feast and face the wrath of the king of his court.  
Will gave a slow nod. “I will. Where should I bring it when I’m done?”  
“Give it to me. Just not when Pacifica, my cousin, is around,” Gideon instructed, holding out the cloth.  
“I will. It will be done before this weekend, Mr. Pines,” Will said, taking the pieces. “I’ll make it my best work. Your cousin will be proud of you.”  
Gideon smiled. “You aren’t bad, for a demon.”  
“And you aren’t bad for a mortal,” Will agreed, turning to the door. “I’ll see you again, Gideon.”


	10. Breaking the News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forgot to post this chapter, my bad

“Alright, what about this one?” Mabel asked, frustrated. Her brother had managed to get every answer correct so far. “At what time of day is-”  
The door opened, drawing the attention of both twins. The cowardly demon stepped into the room, keeping his eyes to the ground. His hands were empty. Mason slowly stood, a cold look in his eyes. Even Mabel knew not to mess with her brother when he had that look.  
“Where is it?”  
The demon was shaking slightly, clearly trying to hide it, but the attempt was feeble. After a moment, the demon managed to squeak out a response. “Where is what?”  
“The journal, demon,” Mason said. Mabel could see him getting ready to strike.  
“Oh, that…” William gave a nervous smile, shrinking down a few inches. “Funny story…”  
There was a resounding crack as the back of Mason’s hand hit the demon’s face. It was completely silent for a minute afterward as William slowly raised a hand to his face, gently feeling the area of the forming bruise. Tears were forming in his remaining eye, but Will hadn’t moved.  
Mason raised his hand again. Will watched, with dread building in his eyes. Suddenly, Mason clenched his fist and lowered it. “Great uncle Ford will know how to deal with you.”  
A small flash of panic rushed through Mabel’s heart. “No! Mason!”  
That certainly got his attention. His gaze turned to her. “What is it, Mabel?”  
“We can’t introduce him to great uncle Ford like this, brother. What will he think of us, bringing him a useless failure of a demon?” she asked.  
Mason seemed to take a moment to think. “Maybe we just kill him. He’s clearly not what we were told. We don’t need him.”  
“Oh, but I was looking forward to having a servant. He can still serve us,” Mabel said, twirling her hair around a finger. “Besides, he hasn’t completed his side of the deal. He needs to make it up to us.”  
“How do you propose he do that, sister?” Mason kept his same cold look, but Mabel could tell he was intrigued. He did always so love her ideas.  
She smiled. William took a nervous half a step back. “I have a few ideas.”


	11. Stories

“Go over the story one more time, William,” Mabel said, wiping her blood covered knife off onto his suit jacket.  
Will winced, trying not to move. His inky black blood flowed down from the cut along his collarbone, staining his dress shirt. He hated that color. It was going to take forever to get out.  
“The story is, as you told me, miss,” Will started, knowing he had to mind his words here. A single slip of the tongue, any small lie, and he could lose his powers. Become mortal. Which would be… unfortunate, to say the least. But the secret was all in the phrasing. He had set up a perfect deception here. “I was contracted by you in the forest. I left to find the journal possessed by the Pines boy. I have not retrieved it as of yet, but I have put plans into place to more easily take it and crush the boy.”  
Mabel traced the blade of the knife along his jaw. “Good. Maybe you aren't as useless as you had us thinking, demon.”  
“Thank you, miss,” Will said, risking a bow. It was a backhanded compliment, but he had to take any compliment he could get. He just wanted to not be useless.  
“I think he’s ready, sister,” Mason said from his chair. “If you ruin him before great uncle Ford meets him, I won’t be pleased.”  
“Whether you’re pleased or not, I get results,” she replied. Her knife slipped back into her boot holster. Will grimaced. His blood would stain everything it touched, but he got the feeling that telling them that would only poorly.  
Mason didn’t acknowledge her comment, just stood. “Follow me, William.”  
“Yes, sir.”  
The twins led the way, both instilled with a sudden coldness that Will hadn’t yet seen in them. They were cold, sure, but this was unsettling, even for a fae. The door to the study opened.


	12. The Magician

Will backed up half a step, eye wide. His breathing stopped. He had been very, very wrong. He had thought Mason was the ruler of the court. The pure power radiating from the man in front of him was as powerful as any fae. He felt his knees go weak. He had to struggle not to bow, to kneel before this being.  
The older man had the same freezing blue eyes as the twins, but they were more focused and analyzing. Will’s heart stopped for a moment as the man’s eyes looked him over. His knees buckled as Mabel shoved him down. He fell to the floor.  
“This is the demon we told you about, great uncle Ford,” Mason said, breaking the icy silence.  
Ford stood up from his desk, stepping forward. Will could feel each footfall in his heart. “I assumed as much… he’s smaller than I thought.”  
Will didn’t dare meet the man’s eyes, instead admiring the fine cape draped around his shoulders. It looked expensive. He felt a hand reach down, six fingers curling around his chin. They tipped his head up, and he found himself staring into the blue eyes once more.  
A thumb ran over his eyepatch. “How did this happen?”  
“It’s a reminder,” Will said softly. He so badly wanted to call the man before him a king, but doing such a thing was hardly demonlike.  
Ford gave a slow nod, seeming to understand. “And my journal?”  
A small jolt of dread pierced Will’s heart. Failure was unacceptable, but failing such a powerful being as this? Will would rather have died trying to get the book.  
“I haven’t gotten it yet, my-” Will cut himself off. He couldn’t call this man king. He continued shakily, ready to cover up his mistake. “... I haven’t gotten it yet, master… but I’ve started to earn the boy’s trust. It will be far easier to find and retrieve your journal once I have. It will only take a few more days.”  
“Good,” Ford let go of him, walking back to his desk. “Don’t disappoint me, demon. You’re dismissed.”  
Will scrambled to his feet, gave a hasty bow, and left. The twins stayed behind. The doors swung closed, silencing any conversation from the office. Will put his face in his hands, shaking.  
If he had known… if he had only known about this man, he never would have taken the deal. But if he could make that man’s power his… if he could enslave that man as he had been enslaved so many times before… then Will would be the king.  
Will wanted so badly to be king. He had always wanted to rule, but he never had the stomach to destroy someone else to do it. This time? This time, they deserved it. Will could do this to them. He just needed time. If he could live long enough…  
His hand traced the cut at the base of his throat. It had stopped bleeding, but it still stung. Every drop of blood… they owed him for. It was not in fae nature to fail, but it seemed he had gotten lucky. They were bloodthirsty. They would spill more blood than one lifetime could pay for.  
Will lowered his hands, distress slowly fading. Maybe he was lucky in terms of debt, but… not so much on terms of his well being. It was painful, more so than he was used to. The girl’s knife was steel. The iron in it was nowhere near full power, but the terrible metal still had an effect. It would take a few extra hours to heal from that. Less, if he could make it back to the forest for a few hours. He turned to start walking.  
A door sounded from behind him. “William.”  
Of course not.  
“Yes, sir?” Will asked, turning around to face Mason.  
Mason scowled. “It’s master, to you.”  
Will had to internalize his growl. The brat in front of him didn’t deserve such a title from a fae, but… he had to play the part. “Yes, master. What do you need?”  
“Fetch me my coat and outdoor shoes. I’m going into town.”  
“I didn’t agree to that, master,” Will said. Sure, it was on the paper that they thought he had agreed to, but… they didn’t agree to a price. Will would take his own.  
“You didn’t?” Will watched a smirk grown on the boy’s face. Mason pulled out the paper. “It states right here, on the contract you agreed to, that you will serve my sister and I until our deaths. I’m not an idiot, so, as my first command, you’re banned from harming my sister or myself and you have to do everything you can to protect us.”  
Will had to feign shock at this ‘new’ information, but the look of dread wasn’t hard to pull off. The way the boy said it still made Will’s skin crawl, despite the fact that he expected it. Why were these children so unsettling?  
“I expect an answer when you’re ordered, demon,” Mason said, fixing him with a cold stare.  
Will gave a nervous bow. “... yes… master…”  
A flash of approval crossed the boy’s eyes. “Good. Now get to it.”  
“Right away,” Will agreed, taking off down the hall.


	13. The King's Decree

“Demon.” A quiet, but powerful voice came from down the hall.  
Will perked up from his inspection of the unnaturally blue flowers in the main entrance. It had been a few days since anyone had bothered him, outside of some slight harrasment. His eyes locked with King Stanford’s. He didn’t want to challenge this man, but he was determined not to show weakness again. He forced himself to keep eye contact.  
“Yes, master?” he asked, straightening up and pulling his gloves back on.  
“Come to my office, I need a word.” The man disappeared back past the door frame.  
Will watched him go. Something about him wasn’t as unsettling as the children. His feeling was more… alluring. More powerful, ancient and wise. He was awe inspiring. Will donned his vest, readying himself for whatever challenge the man would give him. It was typical fae etiquette to push a new member of a court to their limit. See what they would take. Will expected no different here. All he had to worry about was failing.  
The man was sat at his desk once more, but this time he wasn’t distracted with his papers. Will stood before him, not ready to take a knee quite yet. Ford was clearly a capable ruler, but every ruler needed to prove himself before he could expect loyalty. Stanford had as much to do as Will did.  
“What have my niece and nephew told you about me, creature?” Ford asked, leaning forward and resting his head on a hand.  
Will relaxed slightly, unclasping his hands and letting them fall to his sides. “Not much, sir… only that they respect you and that you are a man to be feared, by me, at least.”  
Stanford leaned back in his chair. “Do you know who I am? Who I really am? What I can do?”  
Will had to pick his words carefully. He knew far more about the man than what he had been told, but they were things his fae instincts had picked up.  
“You are Stanford Gleeful, great uncle of Mason and Mabel Gleeful. Monarch of the Gleeful family. You are wise and powerful, even beyond mortal years,” Will started. “You care deeply for the twins, but you fear above all else that they will fail. That they are clever, but power hungry and overly confident. You fear that those traits will be their downfall, that they have inherited the family pride and will refuse any help, even if it leads to their doom.”  
The man was still. “Who told you that?”  
“No one, sir… I guessed.”  
Stanford gave him a strange look. “You guessed?”  
Will realized his mistake with a jolt. He had forgotten this man was still human, no matter how he acted. He had an advantage in their interactions that he wouldn’t with another fae. He just had to use it.  
“Yes, sir. It’s an educated guess based off of your behavior. Much can be inferred from just how you sit there,” Will said, matter of factly before his voice grew softer. “It’s one of my favorite things about you humans… so open with your information…”  
“Don’t share it,” the man snapped. Will flinched, before slowly standing straight again as King Ford started talking again. “You serve our family, and by my order, you will not tell anyone a word of what you see, hear, or guess. Do you understand?”  
“Absolutely. You have my complete confidentiality, master,” Will agreed, bowing slightly.  
Stanford stood up, slowly walking over to him. Will was tall, by human standards, but the man still seemed to tower over him.  
“I have worked my whole life to bring this family to where it is. I will not allow anyone to ruin that, demon or otherwise. I have built this kingdom and it will burn over my dead body. My niece and nephew’s futures are at stake, rest assured I will do anything I need to keep them safe. I don’t care who you think you are, demon. You will regret it if you ever turn your backs on us.”  
Will nodded, eye fixed on the ground. This would be the most dangerous time to make a mistake. There was no need to take that risk.  
The man sat back down. “You’re dismissed. Get that journal. Now.”  
“Yes, master,” Will replied, eye still cast downward as he left the room. He knew he couldn't fail this time.


End file.
